423
inflammatory marker and proinflammatory cytokine (interleukin 6) caused by high
fat meal (Burton-Freeman et al. 2012).
Mostly lutein and lycopene among other carotenoids inhibit this process by reducing the level of ROS in living systems. This anti-oxidant function of lutein was shown
in vascular smooth muscle cells (Wolak and Paran 2013). PDGF-induced intracellular production of ROS was reduced by lutein. It also ameliorated ROS-(H 2 O 2 )induced ERK1/2 and activation of p38 MAPK (Lo et al. 2012). In another study
carried out on vascular sections, lycopene protects oxidative stress-mediated endothelial injury. The endothelial cells pretreated with lycopene showed elevated viability, down-regulation of caspase-3 and p53 mRNA and reduced rate of apoptosis
(Tang et al. 2009). Oxidation of LDL is one of the initial step in the process of atherosclerosis. Therefore, the oxidized LDL substances seen in the sub intimal region
leads to chemical attraction of inflammatory cells (Stocker and Keaney Jr 2004).
Lycopene in an exracted human LDL substances resist the activity of myeloperoxidase. This resistance activity might be one of the mechanisms that prevent oxidation
of LDL and thus ameliorating the process of atherosclerosis (Chew et al. 2012).
20.5.2 Osteo-protective Activity
Carotenoids like β-cryptoxanthin have the ability to regulate the health of bone and
inhibit osteoporosis (Uchiyama et al. 2004a; Yamaguchi 2008). The existence of
β-cryptoxanthin at a concentration of 10
−6
or 10
−7
M leads to decrease in the activity
of alkaline phosphatase and content of calcium in the femoral-metaphysial and
femoral- diaphysial tissues in female rats (Uchiyama et al. 2004a; Yamaguchi 2008).
Oral treatment with β-cryptoxanthin stimulates anabolic action of bone constituents
in aged female rats’ femoral tissues. Thus, this bioactive ingredient may have an
activating action on loss of bone mass and leads to osteoporosis as well as bone
fracture (Uchiyama et al. 2004b). Furthermore, β-cryptoxanthin has an efficacious
anabolic action of calcification of bone in femoral-metaphysical and femoraldiaphysial tissues in both in vitro and in vivo studies (Yamaguchi and Uchiyama
2003; Uchiyama et al. 2004c). More so, the intake of reinforce juice which has
higher β-cryptoxanthin than a usual juice, displayed a preventive action on loss of
bone (Yamaguchi et al. 2006). In addition, they showed that long term intake of
juice containing β-cryptoxanthin results to activation of bone formation and preventive action on reabsorption of bone in humans, which is favourable among menopausal women (Yamaguchi et al. 2006).
20.5.3 Anticancer Activity
About ten million cancer cases occur yearly and this rate is rapidly increasing globally. It has been reported that consumption of diet rich in plant and other natural
products like fruits (eg. mangoes, legumes, peaches, cantaloupes, persimmons, apri20 Carotenoids as Functional Bioactive Compounds
inflammatory marker and proinflammatory cytokine (interleukin 6) caused by high
fat meal (Burton-Freeman et al. 2012).
Mostly lutein and lycopene among other carotenoids inhibit this process by reducing the level of ROS in living systems. This anti-oxidant function of lutein was shown
in vascular smooth muscle cells (Wolak and Paran 2013). PDGF-induced intracellular production of ROS was reduced by lutein. It also ameliorated ROS-(H 2 O 2 )induced ERK1/2 and activation of p38 MAPK (Lo et al. 2012). In another study
carried out on vascular sections, lycopene protects oxidative stress-mediated endothelial injury. The endothelial cells pretreated with lycopene showed elevated viability, down-regulation of caspase-3 and p53 mRNA and reduced rate of apoptosis
(Tang et al. 2009). Oxidation of LDL is one of the initial step in the process of atherosclerosis. Therefore, the oxidized LDL substances seen in the sub intimal region
leads to chemical attraction of inflammatory cells (Stocker and Keaney Jr 2004).
Lycopene in an exracted human LDL substances resist the activity of myeloperoxidase. This resistance activity might be one of the mechanisms that prevent oxidation
of LDL and thus ameliorating the process of atherosclerosis (Chew et al. 2012).
20.5.2 Osteo-protective Activity
Carotenoids like β-cryptoxanthin have the ability to regulate the health of bone and
inhibit osteoporosis (Uchiyama et al. 2004a; Yamaguchi 2008). The existence of
β-cryptoxanthin at a concentration of 10
−6
or 10
−7
M leads to decrease in the activity
of alkaline phosphatase and content of calcium in the femoral-metaphysial and
femoral- diaphysial tissues in female rats (Uchiyama et al. 2004a; Yamaguchi 2008).
Oral treatment with β-cryptoxanthin stimulates anabolic action of bone constituents
in aged female rats’ femoral tissues. Thus, this bioactive ingredient may have an
activating action on loss of bone mass and leads to osteoporosis as well as bone
fracture (Uchiyama et al. 2004b). Furthermore, β-cryptoxanthin has an efficacious
anabolic action of calcification of bone in femoral-metaphysical and femoraldiaphysial tissues in both in vitro and in vivo studies (Yamaguchi and Uchiyama
2003; Uchiyama et al. 2004c). More so, the intake of reinforce juice which has
higher β-cryptoxanthin than a usual juice, displayed a preventive action on loss of
bone (Yamaguchi et al. 2006). In addition, they showed that long term intake of
juice containing β-cryptoxanthin results to activation of bone formation and preventive action on reabsorption of bone in humans, which is favourable among menopausal women (Yamaguchi et al. 2006).
20.5.3 Anticancer Activity
About ten million cancer cases occur yearly and this rate is rapidly increasing globally. It has been reported that consumption of diet rich in plant and other natural
products like fruits (eg. mangoes, legumes, peaches, cantaloupes, persimmons, apri20 Carotenoids as Functional Bioactive Compounds